Mobile cart for spray dispensing

ABSTRACT

A mobile cart includes a cart frame, a base, wheels rotatably attached to the frame and a cabinet separating the base surface into first and second receiving areas. A first container, containing a first material, and a second container, containing a second material, are positionable in the first and second receiving areas. A first sliding rack and a second sliding rack for securing vessels above the base surface are moveable between stowed positions at least partially within the cabinet and extended positions in the first and second receiving areas, respectively. The cart can alternatively receive one of the first container or first vessel in the first receiving area and one of the second container or second vessel in the second receiving area. A combination mixer and dispenser is releasably secured to the frame and releasably fluidly coupled to the first and second containers and first and second vessels.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/990,227, filed Jan. 7, 2016, entitled “Mobile Cart for SprayDispensing”, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/596,421, filed on Jan. 14, 2015, entitled “Mobile Cart forSpray Dispensing”, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,352,763, issued May 31, 2016,which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/927,282, filed on Jan. 14, 2014, entitled “Mobile Cart for SprayDispensing,” the entire contents of each of which are incorporated byreference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Whether replacing an old roof, re-roofing or installing a new roof, anew roofing layer must replace or be applied atop the previouslyexisting outermost roof layer, or a new roofing layer must be laid downfor the first time. Doing so generally requires application of a roofingadhesive, such as, for example, a foam adhesive, prior to laying of theroofing layer, in order to secure the roofing layer in place. Also inthe roofing industry, a roof typically requires some form of insulation.Insulation is utilized for several reasons, such as, for example, airinfiltration control, moisture control, temperature control, and noisereduction. One form of insulation is spray foam insulation. Spray foaminsulation is a mixture of components that form an expanding foam uponmixing that is sprayed onto roof tiles, concrete slabs, or the like.

Roofing adhesive and spray foam insulation are generally sold in eithera 5 gallon bag-in-a-box, a 15 gallon drum, or a 55 gallon drum. The 15or 55 gallon drums are preferred to the 5 gallon bag-in-a-box, both froma cost vantage (price per gallon) and because roofing jobs tend torequire a large amount of adhesive and insulation. One drawback of the15 gallon drum however is that it weighs approximately 150 lbs. and the55 gallon drum weighs even more. Thus, transporting the drums to anupper level, or onto a roof, can be particularly challenging andpotentially unsafe. One drawback of the bag-in-a-box is that thecontents are usually dispensed from underneath the box via gravity.Thus, any vehicle used to transport the box while in use must provideaccess to the underside of the box for connection to a dispenser.Traditional carts have openings in the base for the connection to beestablished but these designs offer limited space for the connection tobe made.

In addition to transporting the drums or boxes, accompanying equipment,such as, for example, a dispenser, a spray gun, and an air compressormay also be needed.

The present invention addresses the challenges associated with safelytransporting roofing adhesive and spray foam insulation and accompanyingequipment. For example, it is desirable to provide a mobile cart thancan safely receive, carry and transport the necessary equipment forroofing and insulation. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a mobilecart that positions a box away from the base to provide greater accessto the interface between a mixer and the box.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, one aspect of the present invention is directed to amobile cart including a cart frame, a base coupled to the cart frame,and a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the cart frame. The baseincludes a base surface with a cabinet atop the base surface. Thecabinet separates the base surface into a first receiving area adjacentthe cabinet and a second receiving area adjacent the cabinet oppositethe first receiving area. A first container containing a first materialis positionable in the first receiving area and a second containercontaining a second material is positionable in the second receivingarea. A first sliding rack is partially positioned above the basesurface and moveable between a stowed position at least partially withinthe cabinet and an extended position in the first receiving area to holda first vessel away from the base surface when the first sliding rack isin the extended position. A second sliding rack is partially positionedabove the base surface and is moveable between a stowed position atleast partially within the cabinet and an extended position in thesecond receiving area to hold a second vessel away from the base surfacewhen the second sliding rack is in the extended position. The firstvessel contains the first material and the second vessel contains thesecond material. A combination mixer and dispenser is releasably securedto the cart frame and has a detachable fluid connection to at least oneof the first and second containers and first and second vessels formixing and dispensing the first and second materials. The firstreceiving area can alternatively receive one of the first container whenthe first sliding rack is in the stowed position or the first vessel ontop of the first sliding rack when the first sliding rack is in theextended position. The second receiving area can alternatively receiveone of the second container when the second sliding rack is in thestowed positions or the second vessel on top of the second sliding rackwhen the second sliding rack is in the extended position.

Still yet another aspect of the present invention is directed to amobile cart including a cart frame, a base coupled to the cart frame,and a plurality of wheels rotatably attached to the cart frame. The baseincludes a base surface and a cabinet separates the base surface into afirst receiving area adjacent the cabinet and a second receiving areaadjacent the cabinet opposite the first receiving area. A first slidingrack is partially positioned above the base surface and is moveablebetween a stowed position adjacent the cabinet and an extended positionin the first receiving area to hold a first vessel away from the basesurface. A second sliding rack is partially positioned above the basesurface and is moveable between a stowed position adjacent the cabinetand a second position in the second receiving area to hold a secondvessel away from the base surface. A combination mixer and dispenser isreleasably secured to the cart frame and has a detachable fluidconnection to the first and second vessels above the base surface formixing and dispensing the first and second materials.

Another aspect of the present invention is directed to a mobile cartincluding a cart frame, a base coupled to the cart frame, a plurality ofwheels rotatably attached to the cart frame, a first containercontaining a first material, and a second container containing a secondmaterial. The base includes a base surface with a cabinet secured to thebase surface. The cabinet separates the base surface into a firstreceiving area adjacent the cabinet and a second receiving area adjacentthe cabinet opposite the first receiving area. A first sliding rack ismoveable between a stowed position at least partially within the cabinetand an extended position in the first receiving area. A second slidingrack is moveable between a stowed position at least partially within thecabinet and an extended position in the second receiving area. The firstsliding rack is adapted to hold a first vessel away from the basesurface in the extended position and the second sliding rack is adaptedto hold a second vessel away from the base surface in the extendedposition. A plurality of first receivers are coupled to the base in thefirst receiving area to hold the first container on the base. Aplurality of second receivers are coupled of the base in the secondreceiving area to hold the second container on the base. A combinationmixer and dispenser is releasably secured to the cart frame and has adetachable fluid connection to the first container and the secondcontainer for mixing and dispensing the first and second materials. Thefirst container in the first receiving area prevents the first slidingrack from moving into the extended position and the second container inthe second receiving area prevents the second sliding rack from movinginto the extended position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofa preferred embodiment of the invention, will be better understood whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings a preferredembodiment of the mobile cart which is presently preferred. It should beunderstood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a mobile cart in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention in the horizontal position;

FIG. 2 is a side and rear perspective view of the mobile cart of FIG. 1in the horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the mobile cart of FIG. 1 in anupright position;

FIG. 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the mobilecart of FIG. 1, showing a quick connection between the dispenser frameand the cart frame;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional view of the quickconnection between the dispenser frame and the cart frame taken alongline 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a greatly enlarged cross-sectional exploded perspective viewof the quick connection between the dispenser frame and the cart frametaken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a front portion of a mobilecart in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention in ahorizontal position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of the front portion of themobile cart of FIG. 7 in an upright position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenienceonly and is not limiting. The words “right,” “left,” “lower,” and“upper” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made.The words “inwardly” or “distally” and “outwardly” or “proximally” referto directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric centeror orientation of the mobile cart and related parts thereof. Unlessspecifically set forth herein, the terms “a”, “an” and “the” are notlimited to one element but instead should be read as meaning “at leastone”. The terminology includes the above-listed words, derivativesthereof and words of similar import.

It should also be understood that the terms “about,” “approximately,”“substantially” and like terms, used herein when referring to adimension or characteristic of a component of the invention, indicatethat the described dimension/characteristic is not a strict boundary orparameter and does not exclude minor variations therefrom that arefunctionally similar. At a minimum, such references that include anumerical parameter would include variations that, using mathematicaland industrial principles accepted in the art (e.g., rounding,measurement or other systematic errors, manufacturing tolerances, etc.),would not vary the least significant digit.

Referring to FIGS. 1-6, the present application is directed to a mobilecart in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,generally designated with reference numeral 10. As shown in FIG. 1, thecart 10 includes a cart frame 12, a pair of wheels 14 rotatablyconnected to the frame 12 adjacent a front end thereof, and a pair ofcart frame feet 16 adjacent a front end thereof projecting downwardlyfrom the cart frame 12 to the underlying ground surface and dimensionedto support the cart 10 in a generally horizontal position. The cartframe 10 also includes a pair of rearwardly extending cart handles 18for moving and maneuvering the cart 10, and a carrier tray 20.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cart frame 12 includes a generallyrectangular upper cart frame member 12 a and a generally rectangularlower cart frame member 12 b located beneath the upper cart frame member12 a. That is, the upper and lower cart frame members 12 a, 12 bconstitute substantially parallel left and right side structural barsconnected between substantially parallel front and rear structural bars.The upper and lower cart frame members 12 a, 12 b are spaced apart andfixedly connected together at a front end thereof (the end of the cart10 supporting the carrier tray 20) via a pair of axial cart framemembers 12 c extending between respective corners of the rectangularlateral cart frame members 12 a, 12 b. The wheels 14 are rotatablyconnected to the front end of the lower cart frame member 12 b in amanner well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cart frame feet 16 extend downwardly fromthe upper cart frame member 12 a to an approximately even elevationallevel with the bottom of the wheels 14, such that the cart 10 can restin a substantially horizontal position. The feet 16 are located furtherrearward along the cart 10 from the wheels 14, adjacent the handles 18.In the illustrated embodiment, the cart frame feet 16 define a generallytrapezoidal shape. The upper and longer base of the trapezoidal feet 16is integrally, i.e., monolithically, formed with, or fixedly secured to,the upper cart frame member 12 a. The lower and shorter base of thetrapezoidal feet 16 engages the underlying ground surface when the cart10 is in the horizontal position. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG.1, and as described further below, the feet 16 include a generallyplaner support member 16 a extending between the lower bases thereof foradded stability. The rear of the lower cart frame member 12 b left andright side bars are securely connected to the respective feet 16. Asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the side bars of the upper cart frame member 12a extend rearwardly to form the handles 18.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the carrier tray 20 is fixedly secured atop, andsupported by, the front end of the upper cart frame 12 a. The carriertray 20 defines a generally planar tray base 20 a, two side walls 20 bextending upwardly from the sides of the tray base 20 a, and a frontwall 20 c extending upwardly from the front end of the tray base 20 aand extending between the side walls 20 b. The tray base 20 a, and walls20 b, 20 c, define a cavity 20 d therebetween for supporting materialsthereon. As shown in FIG. 1, the side walls 20 b and the front wall 20 cextend from the tray base 20 a at a slightly obtuse angle. However, asshould be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the walls 20b, 20 c may extend substantially perpendicularly to the tray base 20 a.The carrier tray 20 has open upper and rear ends.

The carrier tray 20 is dimensioned to support drums 24 a and/or boxes 24b in the cavity 20 d, such as, for example, a 15 or 55 gallon drum and a5 gallon bag-in-a-box containing different materials, e.g., adhesive orspray foam insulation. The carrier tray 20 is dimensioned to support two15 or 55 gallon drums 24 a, placed side-by-side in the tray 20, as shownin FIGS. 2 and 3.

Alternatively, the carrier tray 20 can support one 15 or 55 gallon drum24 a and one 5 gallon bag-in-a-box 24 b placed side-by-side in the tray20, as shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, the carrier tray 20 can supporttwo 5 gallon bag-in-a-boxes 24 b placed side-by-side in the tray 20 (notshown). Once loaded onto the carrier tray 20, both a drum 24 a or box 24b can be secured in place via securing means 22 (FIG. 1). In theillustrated embodiment, the securing means 22 comprises an elastic band22 a having hooks 22 b for strapping around the drum 24 a or box 24 band hooking into opposing hooks 22 c projecting from the sidewalls 20 b(FIG. 1) and from the tray base 20 a (not shown). As should beunderstood, the elastic band 22 a is configured to tightly strap aroundeither a box 24 b or a drum 24 a to substantially prevent it frommoving. As also should be understood, the elastic band 22 a isconfigured to not rip or tear from the force imparted thereon by the box24 b or drum 24 a. As also should be understood by those of ordinaryskill in the art, any of numerous different securing means, currentlyknown or that later become known and capable of performing the functionof the securing means as described herein, may be utilized.

In order to safely and easily load a drum 24 a onto the carrier tray 20,the cart 10 is tiltable between a generally horizontal “use” or “carry”position (FIGS. 1 and 2) and a generally vertical “loading” position(FIG. 3). That is, a user can hold the handles 18 (and the feet 16 aswell if preferred) and tilt the cart 10 onto the front wall 20 c of thecarrier tray such that the front wall 20 c lies substantially flat ontothe underlying surface. In the vertical position, a standing verticaldrum 24 a may be pushed to slide over the front wall 20 c and restagainst the tray base 20 a. The slightly obtuse angle between the frontwall 20 c and the tray base 20 a allows the front wall 20 c to act as aramp for sliding the drum 24 a thereon. The angle also mitigates tippingover of the cart 10 in the vertical position, and substantiallystabilizes the cart 10 to remain in the vertical position unassisted.Then the securing means 22 is engaged to secure the vertical drum 24 ain place.

If a user wishes to load two drums 24 a, a second drum 24 a may beplaced in the carrier tray 20 in the same manner. Then the cart 10 maybe tilted back to the horizontal position for transporting and/or usingthe drum 24 a. Thereafter, a user may lift the cart 10 from the handles18 enough to distance the feet 16 from the underlying ground surfacewhile the rear wheels 14 remain on the ground surface, such that a usermay pull or push the cart 10. A box 24 b may be loaded in the samemanner. However, as a box 24 b is lighter, a box 24 b may simply bepicked up and placed into the carrier tray 20 while the cart 10 is inthe horizontal position. One advantage of tilting the cart 10 into avertical position is that a drum 24 a, such as a 150 lb. adhesive drum,can simply be pushed into the carrier tray 20. This avoids the safetyhazard associated with lifting and placing a heavy object into thecarrier tray 20. This also avoids the need for utilizing machinery tolift the drum and place it in the cart 10. Once loaded onto the cart 10,one advantage of the cart 10 is an easier transportation of the drum 24a and/or box 24 b to an upper level of a structure or the roof thereof.

The cart 10 is also configured to releasably carry and transport aportable mixer and dispenser 26. The dispenser 26 is fluidly coupled tothe drum 24 a and/or the box 24 b, and is necessary for properlydispensing the contents therein. For example, without limitation, thedispenser 26 may be a Reactor E-8 p portable electric foam sprayer soldby Graco Inc.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the portable dispenser 26 is mountable atop, andsupported by, the upper cart frame member 12 a, adjacent the handles 18.The distance between the sidewalls of the upper cart frame member 12 ais dimensioned to be shorter than the length of a standard portabletubular dispenser frame 26 a. Thus a portable dispenser 26, having atubular dispenser frame 26 a is mountable across the upper cart framemember 12 a, as shown best in FIG. 2. The portable dispenser 26 isreleasably securable to the frame member 12 a via a quick connect 28. Asshown in FIG. 4, an L-shaped bracket 30 extends across, and is securedto, the left and right side bars of the upper cart frame member 12 a,adjacent the handles 18. The base member 30 a of the bracket 30 laysflat on the frame member 12 a, and the side member 30 b of the bracket30 projects generally perpendicularly upwardly from the base member 30a. The bracket 30 also includes an approximately central top flange 30c, extending from the top of the side member 30 b, parallel to the basemember 30 a.

As shown in FIG. 6, the top flange 30 c includes at least one aperture32 therein. In the illustrated embodiment, the top flange 30 c includestwo upper apertures 32 laterally spaced from one another. However, asshould be understood, the flange 30 c may include more than twoapertures. The base member 30 a of the bracket 30 also includes acorresponding number of lower apertures 34, vertically aligned with therespective upper apertures 32. In the illustrated embodiment, as shownin FIGS. 5 and 6, the quick connect 28 includes a corresponding numberof detent pins 28 a as there are upper apertures 32.

As shown in FIG. 5, the dispenser 26 is rested atop the frame member 12a such that a side bar 26 b of the dispenser frame 26 a extends alongthe base member 30 a of the bracket 30. The side member 30 b of thebracket 30 prevents the dispenser 26 from sliding rearward (i.e., towardthe handles 18). The upper and lower apertures 32 and 34 are positionedalong the flange 30 c and the base member 30 a, respectively, such thatthe distance A between the upper and lower apertures 32, 34 and the sidemember 30 b of the bracket 30 is greater than the diameter D of thetubular dispenser frame (FIG. 6). Thus, when the side bar 26 b of thedispenser frame 26 a is rested against the side member 30 b of thebracket 30, the detents pins 28 a can be projected through the upperapertures 32, clear the dispenser frame 26 a, and continue through thecorresponding lower apertures 34. The dispenser frame 26 is thenattached/connected to the cart 10. Alternatively, the side bar 26 b ofthe dispenser frame 26 a may also include corresponding apertures, suchthat the detent pins 28 a extend through the side bar 26 b as well. Asshould be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, a ball anddetent in the respective pins 28 a prevents the pins 28 a frominadvertently slipping out of the upper and lower apertures 32 and 34.

To detach/disconnect the dispenser 26 from the cart 10, the pins 28 aare manually removable from the upper and lower apertures 32, 34. Asshould be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, however, anyof numerous different quick connect and disconnect means, capable ofperforming the quick connection and disconnection of the dispenser 26 toand from the cart 10 as described herein, may be utilized. For example,any of numerous different locking members may be utilized to lock andunlock the dispenser frame 26 a into and from the bracket 30 or otherparts of the upper frame 12 a.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, as should be understood by those ofordinary skill in the art, the dispenser 26 includes standardconnections 36 for connecting the dispenser 26 to both drums 24 a orboxes 24 b (FIGS. 1-3). As also should be understood, the contents inthe drums 24 a and/or the boxes 24 b are gravity fed through theconnection lines and into the dispenser 26 due to the internalgravimetric pressure within the drums and/or boxes.

In use, the dispenser 26 can be carried and transported by the cart 10,along with the drums 24 a and/or boxes 24 b, to a work site. A usertypically leaves the dispenser 26 on the cart 10 while dispensing thecontents from the drum 24 a and/or box 24 b through the dispenser 26.Alternatively, if desired or required, a user may quickly disconnect andremove the dispenser 26 from the cart 10. After completing a job, a usermay reconnect the dispenser 26 to the cart 10 for easy transportationthereof.

For some applications, an air compressor 38 is beneficial in conjunctionwith the dispenser 26. Thus, in some embodiments, the cart 10 furtherincludes an air compressor 38 located beneath the dispenser 26, securedatop the planar support member 16 a between the feet 16 (only shown inFIG. 1). The air compressor 38 is fluidly connectable to the dispenser26 in a manner well understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.When an air compressor 38 is used, an air purge type of mixing gun (notshown) is used to mix the two ingredients with air. For someapplications, such as, for example, to spray adhesive from the dispenser26, a static mixing gun is required. Accordingly, in some embodiments,the cart 10 further includes a mixing gun 40 fluidly connected to thedispenser 26 (FIG. 1).

Another embodiment of a mobile cart in accordance with the presentinvention generally designated with reference numeral 50 is shown inFIGS. 7-8 wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to elementspreviously described in connection with FIGS. 1-6. Only the frontsection of cart 50 is shown and described with reference to FIGS. 7-8.The cart 50 has a rear section (not shown) which includes handles, legs,and a portable mixer and dispenser attached to the frame as previouslydescribed. As shown in FIG. 7, the cart 50 includes a base 52 and a pairof wheels 14 rotatably attached to the frame 12. The base 52 has aplanar base surface 54 which is generally horizontal with respect to asupport surface beneath the wheels 14 when the cart 50 is in thehorizontal orientation as shown in FIG. 7.

The cart 50 includes a first receiving area 58 separated from a secondreceiving area 60 by a cabinet 56 which sits atop the base surface 54and is attached to the base 52 by welding or other conventionalfasteners (not shown). The first and second receiving areas 58, 60 areon opposing sides of the cabinet 56 and are substantially similar toeach other in that both receiving areas are dimensioned to receivecontainers or drums 24 a (e.g. a 15 gallon drum, a 55 gallon drum)and/or vessels or boxes 24 b (e.g. a 5 gallon bag-in-a-box). Therefore,any description of either the first receiving area 58 or the secondreceiving area 60 also applies to the other of the first and secondreceiving areas 58, 60. The cabinet 56, front wall 20 c, edge 73, andbase rear 88 form the boundaries of the first and second receiving areas58, 60. The edge 73 extends upwardly away from, and along a side of, thebase surface 54. Reinforcing returns 90 are coupled to, and extendgenerally perpendicularly from, the front wall 20 c and edge 73 byconventional methods (e.g. by welding) to provide additional strengthand rigidity to the front wall 20 c and edge 73. The return 90 connectedto the edge 73 is coupled to the base 52 along the base rear 88 bywelding or other conventional fasteners (not shown). The returns 90connected to the front wall 20 c are coupled to the edge 73 by similarconnection methods (not shown).

The first and second receiving areas 58, 60 each include a sliding rack72 which is moveable along an axis generally parallel to the basesurface 54 to move between a stowed position and an extended position.The sliding rack 72 in the first receiving area 58 is shown in thestowed position while the sliding rack 72 in the second receiving area60 is shown in the extended position. Alternatively, the cart can haveboth sliding racks in either of the extended or stowed positions. Thesliding rack 72 of each of the first and second receiving areas 58, 60can be moved between the extended and stowed positions independently ofone another. Each sliding rack 72 includes a pair of rods 74 supportedby a panel 76 such that the rods are positioned above the base surface54. The rods 74 are therefore preferably made from a material that issufficiently rigid to support the box 24 b (e.g. metal). The panel 76and rods 74 can be monolithically formed such that the sliding rack 72is a single element. Alternatively, the panel 76 can be manufacturedseparately from, and connected to, the rods 74 (e.g. by welding,adhesive, press fit). The panel 76 extends upwardly from, and isslideably moveable with respect to, the base surface 54. A lower portionof the panel 76 is in contact with base surface 54 at least when thesliding rack 72 is in the extended position to maintain the position ofthe rods 74 above the base surface. The box 24 b (shown in phantom inFIGS. 7-8) on top of the rods 74 is thus positioned away from the basesurface 54. One advantage of securing the box 24 b above the basesurface 54 is that any leakage of fluid at the connection interfacebetween the mixer and box would fall to the base surface rather than theroof or support surface under the wheels. Another advantage is the spacebetween the base surface 54 and box 24 b provides greater access toestablish the connection between the box 24 b and mixer 26. As should berecognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the rods 74 couldcontact the base surface 54 as long as the box 24 b on top of the rodsis positioned away from the base surface. The securing means (not shownin FIGS. 7-8) described in connection with the previous embodiment canalso be used to secure the box 24 b to the sliding rack 72, see FIG. 1.The edge 73 can prevent over-extension of the sliding rack 72 byblocking movement of the panel 76 away from the cabinet 56 beyond theboundary of the receiving area 58, 60.

The panel 76 includes a graspable handle 78 such that a user canmanually transition the sliding rack 72 between the stowed and extendedpositions. The panel 76 is adjacent the cabinet 56 when the sliding rack72 is in the stowed position or is at least closer to the cabinet in thestowed position than in the extended position. The cabinet includessidewalls 80, a front wall 81, and a rear wall (not shown but identicalto the front wall 81) extending away from the base surface 54. Thesidewalls 80, front wall 81, and rear wall are connected by a top wall82 by conventional methods and together they define a cavity within thecabinet for receiving at least a portion, and more preferably a majorityportion, of the rods 74 through holes in the sidewall 80 when thesliding rack 72 is in the stowed position. The through holes can includea gasket (or have sufficiently tight tolerances with the outer diameterof the rod) to allow the rods 74 to move into and out of the holes whena sufficient force is applied but prevents the sliding rack 72 fromunintended movement when loading and unloading a box 24 b onto the topof the sliding rack 72. The cart 50 can receive a first box 24 bcontaining a first material therein on top of the sliding rack 72 in thefirst receiving area 58 and a second box (not shown but identical to thefirst box 24 b) containing a second material therein on top of thesliding rack 72 in the second receiving area 60 when both sliding racks72 are in the extended positions.

A tray 84 is connected to the top wall 82 of the cabinet 56 which canhold additional equipment or spare boxes (not shown but identical to box24 b). The tray 84 is formed by partitions 86 connected to each other byconventional methods such as welding and which extend upwardly from thetop wall 82. Plates 88 extend from the partitions 86 parallel to the topwall 82 to connect the tray 84 to the cabinet 56 by conventionalconnection methods (not shown but could be bolts, rivets, welding,etc.). As should be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, thedistance between the top wall 82 and the top of the partition 86 can beadjusted to create a deeper or shallower tray 84 as desired. It may bedesirable to have a deeper tray 84 to receive hand tools which are usedduring the roofing installation process. Alternatively, it may bedesirable to have a shallower tray 84 for easier loading of additionalspare boxes 24 b in the tray 84. Although the tray 84 is shown as havinga rectangular shape, any configuration could be adopted.

The first receiving area 58 includes at least one receiver 62 adapted tosupport the container or drum 24 a (shown in phantom in FIGS. 7-8). Thereceiver 62 includes a top piece 64 and a bottom flange 66 connected toeach other by webbing 65. The bottom flange 66 is a flat metal stripcoupled to the base 52 by conventional methods (e.g. welding, adhesive,screw, nut and bolt). The top piece 64 is a metal strip similar to thebottom flange 66 but has a semi-circular shape which follows the outercontour of at least a portion of the drum 24 a.The webbing 65 extendsupwardly from the bottom flange 66 and supports the top piece 64. Thewebbing 65 is connected to the bottom flange 66 and top piece 64 byconventional connection methods (e.g., welding) but the receiver 62could also be fanned monolithically. The top piece 64 and bottom flange66 are preferably wider than the webbing 65 to diffuse any forces on thedrum 24 a and base 52 while minimizing the material used to create thereceiver 62. FIG. 7 shows two receivers 62 in the first receiving area58 but any number of receivers 62 can be used. One of the receivers 62in the first receiving area 58 includes a receptacle 67 attached to eachend of the top piece 64 (by welding, adhesive, etc.) to couple a lockingarm 68 to the receiver 62 as explained below. Alternatively, all of thereceivers 62 could include the receptacles 67, if desired. As should beunderstood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the top piece could alsohave any desired shape to receive a differently shaped container thanthat shown here.

The locking arm 68 is coupled to one of the receivers 62 in the firstreceiving area 58 to secure the drum 24 a to the receivers 62 as well asacting as a backstop to prevent movement of the box 24 b on the slidingrack 72 in at least one direction toward the front wall 20 c (best seenin the second receiving area 60). The locking arm 68 can be a flexiblemetal band which can adapt to the shape of the drum 24 a to secure thecontainer in place. Alternatively, the locking arm 68 can be elastic,rubber, or the like provided it is configured to tightly strap aroundthe container and not to fail from the forces imparted thereon by thedrum 24 a. The locking arm 68 includes a receptacle 67 on one end whichis aligned with and opposite to one of the receptacles 67 on thereceiver 62. The receivers 67 each include a through hole to receive athreaded rod 69. A nut 71 is threaded onto the threaded rod 69 above thereceptacle 67 on the locking arm 68 and below the receptacle 67 on thetop piece 64 to secure one side of the locking arm 68 and receiver 62 toeach other. One advantage of using a threaded rod 69 and nuts 71 is thatit provides some adjustability of the distance between at least one sideof the locking arm 68 and the receiver 62 when the nut 71 is rotated. Asshould be understood by an ordinary artisan, one or more of the throughholes could be threaded to engage the threaded rod 69 such that a nut 71is not required. The other end of the locking arm 68 includes a buckle70 which is used to relatively quickly transition the locking arm 68between a locked configuration where the drum 24 a is secured to thereceivers 62 and an unlocked configuration where the container can beinserted on or removed from the receivers 62. The buckle 70 is rotatableabout an axle (not shown) extending between the arms 75 of a U-shapedconnector 77 (although any equivalent connecter could be used). Athreaded rod 69 extends from the bottom of the connector 77 and extendsthrough the through hole in the receptacle 67. A nut (not shown butidentical to nut 71) is threaded on the threaded rod 69 below thereceptacle 67. The nut can be rotated to adjust the distance between thelocking arm 68 and receiver 62. The buckle 70 includes a cam or similarmechanism such that rotation of the buckle 70 about the axle causes thelocking arm 68 to bear against at least a portion of the drum 24 a andsecures the drum 24 a to the receiver 62. Alternatively, the buckle 70may have a detachable connection with one of the locking arm 68 orconnector 77 to allow the locking arm 68 to be moved such that it doesnot interfere with loading and unloading of the drum 24 a on thereceiver 62. Of course, any type of equivalent securing mechanism couldbe adopted in place of the buckle 70 as should be understood by one ofordinary skill in the art (e.g. a catch, hasp, latch). One advantage ofhaving a receiver 62 and locking arm 68 which extend along a portion ofthe sides of the drum 24 a is that the cart 50 can have a relativelyshort edge 73 because the edge 73 is not required to prevent lateralmovement of the drum 24 a. Alternatively, a taller edge 73 could stillbe used as a backup to the receiver 62 and locking arm 68 in case offailure. A drum 24 a on the receiver 62 in either receiving area 58, 60prevents the sliding rack 72 being moved from the stowed to the extendedposition. The sliding rack 72 in the extended position prevents a drum24 a from being fully seated in the receiving area 58, 60. Thus, thecart 50 can alternatively receive in each of the first and secondreceiving areas 58, 60 one of either the drum 24 a when the sliding rack72 is in the stowed position or the box 24 b on top of the sliding rack72 when the sliding rack 72 is in the extended position. The drum 24 aor box 24 b in the first receiving 58 area contains a first materialwhile the drum 24 a or box 24 b in the second receiving 60 area containsa second material which may be different from the first material.

The cart 50 is tiltable between a horizontal orientation (FIG. 7) and avertical orientation (FIG. 8). The front wall 20 c extends upwardly fromthe base 52 at a slightly obtuse angle as previously described inreference to other embodiments to aid in loading the drums 24 a when thecart is in the vertical orientation. The cart 50 is also configured toreleasably carry and transport a portable mixer and dispenser aspreviously described. The mixer can mix and dispense the first andsecond materials from any combination of drums 24 a or boxes 24 b asdesired.

In use, the cart 50 transports the drums 24 a and/or boxes 24 b to awork site. A user typically elects to position a drum 24 a in each ofthe first and second receiving areas 58, 60 for larger jobs or a box 24b in each of the first and second receiving areas 58, 60 for smallerjobs. A user can disconnect and remove the drum 24 a from the receiver62 during in the course of performing a job, move the sliding rack 72into the extended position, and position a box 24 b on top of thesliding rack 72 or move the sliding rack 72 into the stowed position toplace a drum 24 a in the receiving area 58, 60. A user can easily coupleor decouple the fluid connection between the box 24 b and mixer 26 inthe space between the base surface 54 and rods 74. After completion ofthe job, the user can transport all of the materials away with the cart.

Although the cart has been described in connection with roofingapplications, it should be understood by one of ordinary skill in theart that the cart can be used for any desired purpose where containersneed to be transported and/or mixed. One non-limiting example of analternate use for the cart is for transporting and installing sprayinsulation in homes or buildings.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could bemade to the embodiments described above without departing from the broadinventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that thisinvention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but isintended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A method of loading a mobile cart comprising: tilting themobile cart into a generally vertical position relative to an underlyingsupport surface, the mobile cart comprising: a cart frame; a pair ofwheels rotatably attached to the frame adjacent a front end thereof; apair of feet spaced rearwardly from the wheels and projecting downwardlyfrom the cart frame; a carrier tray fixedly secured atop, and supportedby, the cart frame, the carrier tray having a generally planar traybase, two opposing side walls extending upwardly from the tray base anda front wall extending between the side walls and upwardly from a frontend of the tray base, wherein the tray base, side walls and the frontwall define a cavity therebetween, the front wall of the carrier traybeing angled from the tray base; and a combination mixer and dispenserreleasably secured to the cart frame for releasably fluidly coupling tofirst and second containers in the carrier tray and mixing anddispensing first and second materials located in the first and secondcontainers, respectively; engaging the front wall of the carrier trayagainst the underlying support surface, and, in turn, stabilizing themobile cart in the generally vertical position; loading the firstcontainer, containing the first material, into the cavity; and tiltingthe mobile cart into a generally horizontal position relative to theunderlying support surface, such that the wheels support the cart abovethe underlying support surface.
 2. The method according to claim 1,further comprising the step of loading a second container, containing asecond material, into the cavity.
 3. The method according to claim 1,wherein the first container is a drum, and the loading step comprisessliding the drum over the front wall of the carrier tray to rest againstthe tray base.
 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the frontwall of the carrier tray extends at an obtuse angle from the tray base,thereby being oriented as a ramp from the support surface to the traybase in the generally vertical position of the mobile cart, and theloading step further comprises sliding the drum up the ramp of thecarrier tray to rest against the tray base.